Spring 2015
STUDENTS
TEDx TALK
DC students are leading the conversation DC Labour Rights is a student-run organisation that was founded at Discovery College in 2012. The group is committed to making a change regarding labour rights globally. After learning about numerous global issues for many years, we truly want to make a difference in workers’ lives and to educate people about just how widespread labour issues really are. Working in the group has been a great opportunity to learn more about global issues and to collaborate with knowledgeable individuals. Through the organisation, we have been able to connect and work with like-minded students from across Hong Kong, meet with established labour organisations in Hong Kong and visit a labour group in China who we are working with in our efforts to collect first-hand information. The group was asked to speak at a TEDx event at Chinese University Hong Kong, which took place in March. Speaking at the event was an incredible experience, as we were presenting alongside accomplished individuals and professionals. The TEDx talk was a positive demonstration of the efforts of the group over the past few years. It was fantastic to be able to promote education regarding labour issues at such an event. Francesca Phillips, Year 12 Student
PREPARING FOR UNIVERSITY
Higher Education Office provides tools and support This year has been a very busy one for the Higher Education Office. With an increase in the number of DC students, more opportunity and choice in higher education options, and greater overall competitiveness in admissions, the journey to finding the right university can be a daunting and confusing one. Our students have enthusiastically embraced the challenges that have come their way. We started 2015 with Year 13 students receiving impressive offers from a wide range of universities around the world and we are very proud of all of their achievements.
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admissions representatives from large groups of colleges such as Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) in the US and University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, Western University and McGill in Canada, students have been exposed to a wealth of exciting opportunities. Academic lectures from the University of Southampton in Law and Psychology, Leeds University in Ethics, Keele University in Pharmacy and Medical Science and CUHK in Medicine have given students a clearer understanding of career prospects and what they will be studying in their majors.
Some highlights include offers from Emily Carr University and University of Toronto in Canada; New York University (NYU), Hamilton College, Washington University in Seattle, Parsons School of Design in the United States; University of Cambridge, Durham, UCL and Kings College in the UK; and HKU, HKUST and SCAD in Hong Kong.
Our Year 11 HEO Ambassadors have been a great help in meeting and greeting university reps and giving them a tour of the school. Feedback from the universities has been impressive and the HEO are hugely grateful for the assistance of these students.
Year 11 & 12 students have kept very busy with a constant stream of visiting institutions from around the world. A key part of the HEO philosophy is to encourage students to be flexible in their choices, keep an open mind and make sure they always have options. In this regard, students are encouraged to attend as many events and talks as possible. It is amazing how many of them change their minds after speaking to an admissions representative or considering an option that they have never even contemplated before.
As the end of the academic year approaches we will be waving goodbye to our Year 13 students with a pre-departure briefing and an interactive session with our recent alumni. Meanwhile Year 12 students will be getting serious about their university essays and taking part in several intensive workshops, and Year 11 will have finalized their IBDP subjects. At the same time we will be planning for our second DC University Fair in September with more than 100 institutions visiting our campus. It has been quite a journey for everyone.
From learning first hand from the experts about summer courses from Rustic Pathways and Cambridge Programmes, to speaking to
Susie Blomfield Higher Education Counsellor
TEDX TALK